(The Center Square) – The share of Georgia residents who have some or a lot of trust in coronavirus researchers and scientists was 91.1 percent, according to a new study by a consortium of four universities, including Northwestern.
In contrast, 3.5 percent of the state’s residents said their level of trust in COVID-19 researchers and scientists was “Not at all,” and 5.4 percent of state residents responded “Not too much” to how much trust they placed in experts.
Why it Matters: There is a perception on social media based on the loudest voices that Georgians are overwhelmingly distrustful of science as it relates to COVID-19. This study shows that an overwhelming majority of Georgians trust academic and scientific institutions more than political institutions.
Although the overall trust Americans have in their political leaders and institutions to handle the pandemic has dropped in recent months, confidence in medical professionals and researchers exceeded 90 percent in May, the study found. This is less than 2 percentage points below the confidence level expressed a month earlier.
In contrast, Americans’ trust in all their institutions’ ability to respond to the coronavirus situation has dropped 8 percent since April, the analysis found.
Survey Responses: Trust in COVID-19 Scientists, Researchers
| State | Not at All | Not Too Much | Some | A Lot | Error Margin | Number of Respondents |
| Alabama | 4.2% | 8.3% | 39.7% | 47.9% | 7.1 | 352 |
| Alaska | 1.7% | 8.4% | 34.2% | 55.7% | 11.9 | 106 |
| Arizona | 1.4% | 8.0% | 37.4% | 53.3% | 5.5 | 478 |
| Arkansas | 3.1% | 10.6% | 43.9% | 42.4% | 7.2 | 294 |
| California | 1.4% | 9.1% | 31.8% | 57.7% | 4.1 | 875 |
| Colorado | 1.3% | 8.8% | 36.5% | 53.3% | 5.7 | 389 |
| Connecticut | 1.5% | 6.8% | 33.4% | 58.4% | 8.3 | 239 |
| Delaware | 2.9% | 5.6% | 34.8% | 56.8% | 7.4 | 260 |
| District of Columbia | 0.8% | 7.8% | 31.6% | 59.8% | 12.2 | 121 |
| Florida | 1.7% | 7.7% | 34.8% | 55.9% | 4.8 | 604 |
| Georgia | 3.5% | 5.4% | 42.7% | 48.4% | 5.7 | 429 |
| Hawaii | 0.5% | 9.5% | 34.6% | 55.4% | 7.7 | 272 |
| Idaho | 4.1% | 6.5% | 40.0% | 49.4% | 6.1 | 368 |
| Illinois | 2.4% | 6.8% | 34.9% | 55.9% | 4.6 | 515 |
| Indiana | 2.2% | 7.6% | 36.5% | 53.8% | 6.0 | 376 |
| Iowa | 1.6% | 4.4% | 36.8% | 57.2% | 7.4 | 243 |
| Kansas | 2.9% | 8.4% | 35.9% | 52.8% | 7.8 | 236 |
| Kentucky | 1.7% | 7.1% | 42.4% | 48.9% | 6.7 | 331 |
| Louisiana | 2.8% | 7.5% | 42.1% | 47.6% | 6.5 | 362 |
| Maine | 2.6% | 6.8% | 34.1% | 56.5% | 5.8 | 368 |
| Maryland | 1.6% | 7.0% | 29.6% | 61.8% | 5.8 | 396 |
| Massachusetts | 1.3% | 3.2% | 30.3% | 65.2% | 5.2 | 435 |
| Michigan | 0.4% | 6.9% | 39.0% | 53.6% | 5.2 | 480 |
| Minnesota | 2.0% | 6.6% | 33.2% | 58.2% | 6.5 | 334 |
| Mississippi | 4.3% | 6.6% | 37.5% | 51.6% | 9.2 | 229 |
| Missouri | 2.1% | 10.2% | 37.4% | 50.2% | 5.6 | 446 |
| Montana | 0.0% | 7.6% | 36.3% | 56.1% | 11.4 | 130 |
| Nebraska | 2.2% | 5.6% | 43.4% | 48.8% | 9.9 | 159 |
| Nevada | 1.2% | 5.5% | 37.5% | 55.7% | 7.6 | 280 |
| New Hampshire | 2.9% | 4.4% | 33.8% | 58.9% | 5.9 | 350 |
| New Jersey | 0.6% | 5.9% | 40.0% | 53.6% | 4.8 | 526 |
| New Mexico | 0.2% | 8.1% | 35.1% | 56.5% | 10.9 | 162 |
| New York | 1.1% | 6.1% | 33.9% | 58.9% | 4.5 | 619 |
| North Carolina | 2.5% | 9.1% | 38.1% | 50.4% | 5.2 | 511 |
| North Dakota | 2.2% | 6.9% | 33.3% | 57.6% | 9.1 | 211 |
| Ohio | 4.8% | 5.3% | 37.7% | 52.3% | 5.1 | 476 |
| Oklahoma | 2.3% | 12.2% | 33.2% | 52.3% | 7.3 | 287 |
| Oregon | 1.4% | 5.1% | 34.8% | 58.7% | 5.4 | 409 |
| Pennsylvania | 2.2% | 5.0% | 36.8% | 56.0% | 4.6 | 543 |
| Rhode Island | 0.9% | 11.1% | 34.3% | 53.7% | 9.1 | 178 |
| South Carolina | 3.8% | 7.5% | 45.2% | 43.5% | 6.3 | 345 |
| South Dakota | 1.6% | 7.5% | 43.5% | 47.4% | 8.8 | 179 |
| Tennessee | 3.6% | 8.1% | 37.9% | 50.4% | 5.8 | 387 |
| Texas | 1.7% | 4.4% | 43.2% | 50.7% | 4.8 | 613 |
| Utah | 0.8% | 7.9% | 38.1% | 53.3% | 8.1 | 274 |
| Vermont | 1.8% | 3.9% | 33.4% | 60.9% | 8.8 | 162 |
| Virginia | 4.5% | 6.5% | 33.5% | 55.5% | 5.1 | 453 |
| Washington | 1.8% | 5.9% | 34.7% | 57.6% | 5.0 | 493 |
| West Virginia | 1.6% | 6.2% | 45.1% | 47.0% | 8.8 | 195 |
| Wisconsin | 2.0% | 7.3% | 35.6% | 55.1% | 5.5 | 419 |
| Wyoming | 5.0% | 9.5% | 32.6% | 52.9% | 11.1 | 108 |
Source: Northwestern Institute for Policy Research
